I am a lifelong conservative who also cares deeply for public education. On Election Day 2012, I joined 1.3 million other Hoosiers who voted for Glenda Ritz and an end to the Mitch Daniels/Tony Bennett educational philosophy.

Since the new legislative session of 2015, several bills have been introduced (HB 1486, HB 1609, SB 1, to name a few) which will remove Superintendent Ritz as the chairwoman of the State Board of Education and shift oversight of student data to the governor’s appointees.

Diminishing the role of Ritz is a misuse of power. If her position is to be appointed, then State Board of Education members should be elected to ensure a system of checks and balances.

Indiana’s children, even those with disabilities, will be further mandated to endure an unprecedented amount of high stakes examinations that could negatively affect their teacher, school and community.

No child should ever bear the burden of these high stakes. Republican legislators continue to support legislation tying a significant percentage of these test scores to school evaluations and accountability grades. How does this benefit my two young children?

In October 2012, I joined with two outstanding educators, John Stoffel and Mark Nash, to pioneer a Facebook community for conservatives throughout the state who are committed to public education.

Children’s spirits are broken when they are reduced to a test score. Educators are exhausted. Labeling schools with grades based on an unfair accountability model hurts communities. Who will stand up for public schools?

Sharon Adams

Rensselaer

What message are you sending with column on Suh?

I wish I could write to thank you for sharing the Feb. 9 Gregg Doyel column from the Indianapolis Star recommending that, for the Indianapolis Colts to get to the Super Bowl, they need the meanness and nastiness of Ndamukong Suh.

I cannot.

It was “nice” of him to note that the Colts’ history during the past few years (like over a decade) has valued the concept that the team should “win with decency.”

But, to win — just a trophy albeit a “super” trophy — it does not seem to matter to Doyel what environment Suh or his like will cultivate and bring to harvest.

There was no mention in Doyel’s column of the number occasions Suh has been cited and/or suspended by the NFL for stomping on opponents and other serious in-game rules’ violations. (This is the same league your USA Today columnists have castigated since last summer for not properly responding to a variety of on- and off-field issues, including domestic violence, as copied in this paper.) It seems to matter nothing to him, if Suh brings a trophy to town.

As a father and someone who did a bit to maybe help young people learn how to play and enjoy a sport, I am ashamed that the Journal & Courier would publish this column.

What are any of us to tell young people in our community who aspire to participate in competitive sports (or show choir, forensics, etc.) about the values of “winning with decency” when Doyel’s voice gets front page exposure in the J&C’s Sports section?

Ted Paget

Lafayette

Society has interest in protecting kids from parents’ poor choices

Letters published in this paper and presidential candidates have suggested that the vaccinating children should be left solely to the parents. It has been stated that only those children whose parents choose to forgo vaccinations are at risk. This is not the case.

The MMR vaccine is given to children after 12 months. The recent outbreak in Chicago among infants is proof that those who fail to vaccinate are putting infant children at risk.

Another statement was that the source of measles in the United States is from unvaccinated illegal aliens. Perhaps some illegal aliens do cross the borders of the United States carrying measles, but the other documented source is unvaccinated U.S. citizens traveling abroad and returning with measles. They in turn infect both the unvaccinated and infants too young to receive the vaccine.

Finally, I contend that parents who fail to vaccinate their children are making a conscious decision to put their own children and those of others in harm’s way. There are numerous examples where society has chosen the safety of children over the liberties of parents. Failing to vaccinate a child is the same as not putting them in a secured car seat when going for a drive.

Society has an interest and responsibility to protect children — sometimes from the bad choices of their parents. I also believe that candidates who are willing to put their political self-interests ahead of the wellbeing of our children cannot be trusted to make sound decisions for our society.

Ken Foster

Lafayette

Your turn

Submit letters to the editor of 250 words or fewer to editor@jconline.com or to 217 N. Sixth St., Lafayette, IN 47901. Please include your name, town and phone number, for confirmation purposes.